Electric switch



Aug. 25, .1931. J. A. AMOS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JEhn Aug. 25, 1931. I J. A, AMOS 1,820,339

' ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 5 F l l j g r f/fl L (gf F 7 a .INVENTOR W i ATTORNEYS.

I Aug.. 25, 1931. J. A. AMOS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l III. l I t rlllv l uq lllllllllllll rllllllfiwlllllvwl l/l/ /v INVENTOR @702 .fl. JZmo ATTQRNEYS I Aug. 25,. 1931. A AMOS 1,820,339

' ELECTRIC SWITCH 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1926 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Illll II] mun ATTORNEY. I

Patented A 25,1931

umrsn srArEs. PATENT I OFFICE JOHN A. AMOS, or mm, rumors, n s'sreuoa ro THE BEE-NATIONAL 001mm, 4

or cnrcnoo, rumors, a conroanrrou or NEW mass:

ELECTRIC Application filed August 9, 1928. Serial in. 128,118.

My -invention relates to im rovements in electric switches particularly or use-1n connection'with electric lighting Systems of a locomotive and has for one object to provide 1 new and improved form of switch which combines the dimmer element and control means for the headlight and the control means for the running and cab lights in a single unitary housing. Another object of 'my invention is to provide a switch arrange switch housing which will be foolproof and durable and of such strength as ment and to stand up'under railroad service. Other ob jects of my invention will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims. Y i

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying" drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view Figure 2 is a plan view'with parts omitted and parts broken away;

Figure 3 is-a side elevation with parts in section and parts brokenaway;

Figude 4,is a section along the of Figure 1; V

Figure 5 is a section with parts omitted and parts broken away along the line 55 of Figure 2; I I

Figure 6 is a plan yiew of the headlight switch contact elements;

line 4-4 Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the I headlight contactf elements and control means; r .7

Figure 8 is} a perspective view of the cab light switchblock.

Like partsjar'e indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawin s. A is the base or housing adapted to be eld in place by bolts not shown, through the boltholes A at any suitable point in the locomotive cab. It may be supported vertically or horizontally as the case may be. A are conduits leading into the housing adaptedto contain conductor wires A A leading from the generator. A is a conduit communicating with the housing adapted to contain conductor wires A A leading to the headlight and tothe cab lights. A is the resistance unit provided with legs A adapted to be bolted to position.

the'housing A. A is a cover for the housing adapted to be held in place by the screws A.

B is a boss in the cover A adapted to provide a bearing for the switch pin B which pin has a switch fork B terminating in driving fingers B B located inside the housing. The end of the pin-B. projects outwardly beyond the boss B to engage the handle B? being eld against rotation thereon by means of the pin B which passes through the handle head and the pin and holds the pin and switch handle in position on the cover; B is a quadrant recessed on the face of the cover.- A plurality of semi-circular notches or 1 counter sunkkts B B B terminate in, bosses B A lock plunger B is slidable-in the hand piece B" and pressed outwardly, against .the quadrant by the spring B. When the pin engages the pocket B as shown in Figure 1, the headlight switch is ofi. 'When 'it-has swung to the left and engages the pocket B the headlight switch on. When it is swung to the right engaging the pocket B the headlight switch is in the dim C is an insulating block fastened in the housing by means of the screws C C is a conductor piece bolted to the; block C. It has a binding post G at which terminates the cable A. It also has an arm C extending to the center of the block C and carrying the pin C on which is rotatably mounted the switch member C. This switch member comprises two opposed plates located one on either side of a filler block 0' held yieldingly together by a spring C surrounding the pin C and held under tension by the cotter pin C. These switch plates 0 have at opposed sides spaced spring fingersp C" C C.

Mounted on the insulating block C is a dimmer contact D adapted when the parts are in the position shown in'dotted lines at the left hand side of Figure 2 to begripped'between the members C C and to close a circuit through the cable A, binding post (1', pin C finger G C", contact member D, conductor D binding post D, Conductor l) to the resistance unit A. Under these conditions a current leads from the other bolt through aresistanee unit A, conductor D, ll.

binding post D conductor D, binding post D through the conductor A to the headlight,

thus reducing the current and giving a dim light. ,l/Vhen on the other hand the parts are 5 in the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 2, the blade C is in contact with the terminal member D associated with the binding post'D and in this case current leads from A through C C C, the finger C the member D direct to the conductor A and the full current pressure is supplied to the light thus short circuiting the resistance element. \Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Figure 6, however, both the terminals D and D are idle and the light is turned completely olf.

E is a driving plate concentric with the plate C", spaced thereabove by means of holding pins E E. This plate has a pair of diametrically opposcd apertures E 11 adapted to engage theprongs or forks B 15 so that rotation of the hand switch causes rotation of the switch members.

Referring now to the cab light switch, the conductor A comes into the housing to'the binding post F. The conductor A leads out through the housing from the binding post F F F? are springs associated with said binding posts extending inwardly toward one another. F is a slidably mounted contact block adapted when pushed forward to the dotted line position in Figure 2 to engage both springs and when drawn to full line position, it will be noted that these springs are bent well back so as to be fully out of contact with the block F". This .block has a conducting surface F adapted to engage these spring fingers F and the'body thereof is of insulating material as indicated at F This block slides on an insulating block F traveling between the guides F and has on itssurface an upwardly bent lug strip F adapted to engage the upwardly bent portion of a spring F which sprin serves to hold the block either in or out of contact.

G'is a switch handle slidable in a boss G in the housing having a pin G extending through the block F Springs G G are interposed between this rod and this block so as 50 to provide a flexible driving connection to-insure that the operator will not move the block too far in either direction if he hits the handle G too hard.

The resistance element A is removably 55 mounted on the brackets A by means of the screws H which may be released to permit the exchange of the element. The binding posts D D located as they are outside of the housing being associated with the conductors D 60 D make it possible to remove and replace the resistance element without opening the housing and therefore without permitting dirt, dust and moisture to get in. The housing itself is closed by means of the packing member 65 H engaging the upper edge of the housing wall and contained between the 'outer rib H and the inner rib H 'on the cover A.

I claim: h v

l. A switch assembly comprising a relatively flat-housing, switches contained therein, a rotary switch operating handle projecting outwardly through the flat face of the housing and rotatable in a plane parallel therewith, a push switch handle projecting longitudinally through one of the sides of the housing and reciprocable in a plane parallel with the flat face of the housing and out of line with the rotatable handle, and a removable self-contained resistance unit mounted on the side of the housing opposed to the push switch handle.

2. A switch assembly comprising a relatively flat housing, switches contained therein, a rotaryswitch operating handle projecting outwardly through the'flat face of the housing and rotatable in a plane parallel therewith, a push switch handle projecting longitudinally through one of the sides of the housing and reciprocable in a plane'parallel with the flat face of the housing and out of line with the rotatable handle, and a removable self-contained resistance unit mounted on the side of the housing opposed to the push switch handle, the axis of the resistance unit being generally in the same plane as that face of the housing through which the rotatable switch projects.

3. A switch assembly comprising a generally fiat housing, a pocket extending laterally from and of smaller area than the housing both of them being open on one side and a with and projecting from opposed sides of the housing and adjacent that side furthest from the'pocket, flanges integral with the sleeve and housing and in line with the bot tom of the housing, brackets removably mounted on the flanges extending in a direction away from the pocket, a cylindrical self- .contained resis'tance unit socketed at its end tion away from the pocket a. cylindrical selfcontained resistance unit socketed at its end in said brackets, the brackets being removable to release the resistance unit.

5. A switch assembly comprising a generally flat housing, a pocket extending laterally from and of smaller area than the housing, both of them being open on one side and a removable closure for them, sleevesintegral removable closure for them, sleeves integral with and projecting from opposed sides of the housing and adjacent that side furthest from the pocket, flanges integral with the sleeve and housing and in line with the bottom of the housing, brackets removably mounted on the flanges extending in a direc-, tion away from the pocket, a cylindrical selfcontained resistance unit socketed at its end in said brackets, a rotatable switch handle projecting through the removable closure and adapted to rotate in a plane parallel therewith, a push switch handle projectin longitudinally through that side of the poc et furthest removed from the housing adapted to reciprocate in a plane parallel with the closure but on the opposed side from it with respect to the rotatable switch.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 5th da JO N A. AMOS.

of August, 1926. 

